Mumbai airport expansion plan nudges ‘encroachers’ out

The Hindustan Times reports that over 60,000 slum dwellers are at risk of being displaced without being adequately rehabilitated.

"Though the World Bank had laid a condition to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Develpoment Authoriy (MMRDA) to shift the PAPs (project affected people) within two-three km of their existing homes, the local authorities have been tightlipped."

"“We should know where the government plans to shift us. Most of us work in the airport. Rehab tenements are all across the city. We want transparency in the process. It is our right to know where we would be shifted,” said Sunder Padmukh, general secretary of Vimantal Parisar Rahiwashi Ekta Sangh, the umbrella organisational fighting for six slums located on airport land."

Sadly, the government has ample land for big developers but none for the poorer sections of the society.

Source: Hindustan Times

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